Saudi Arabia must hold Khashoggi killers 'accountable': Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday said that he would ask Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to ensure the murderers of journalist Jamal Khashoggi are held "accountable".

"We will continue to have a conversation with the crown prince and the Saudis about ensuring accountability," Pompeo said in Doha after talks with Qatari government officials.

His comments come ahead of a planned visit to the kingdom later on Sunday as part of a Middle East tour.

Jamal Khashoggi, a US resident and Riyadh critic was murdered in mysterious circumstances in October in Saudi consulate in Turkey's Istanbul.

US intelligence agencies believe the crown prince ordered an operation to kill Khashoggi, whose body was dismembered and removed from the building to a location still publicly unknown. Top Turkish officials have also tied his death to the highest levels of Saudi leadership.

On January 3, a Saudi court held its first hearing on Khashoggi's case in which Saudi Arabian prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for five of the 11 suspects in the case. The United Nations human rights office also called the trial "not sufficient."

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Jamal Khashoggi, a US resident and Riyadh critic was murdered in mysterious circumstances in October in Saudi consulate in Turkey's Istanbul.